2024-25 San Diego Gulls/Tulsa Oilers

[WhatTheDuck]

I wouldn't consider it "rushing" to have an CHL prospect advance to the AHL for their age 20 season rather than return as an overage, that's the normal progression for a prospect that age if they are expected to have an NHL future.

There are only a dozen skaters in the OHL who are playing an overage season and were drafted at some point or have NHL rights owned. There's none that were drafted in 2023, signed to an ELC and returned to junior. A few that were just drafted in their D+2, some other 2023 picks who are questionable to get signed (Konnor Smith among them) and one undrafted FA that the Oilers signed and then sent back. If you think a CHL prospect is worth signing at age 20, it's really uncommon to send them back as an overage. Definitely not "rushing" to send a player along the same path as the vast majority of their peers.

I could have understood going with an atypical path for Myatovic and sending him back, given everything he went through last year. But then you run the risk of him saying FU and refusing to sign before his rights expire this spring as well.

Pitre has been described as playing a pro style game, he just needs to get stronger so he can apply it at the AHL level. Let's see if he can make the necessary progression as a second and third year pro.

 

[tomd]

The ECHL should be a perfectly acceptable option for guys like Pitre and Myatovic. Get pro experience and some confidence at the same time. Right now these guys are just getting manhandled and overmatched every single game in the AHL. Not sure how destroying their confidence at 20 years-old is a good thing. But maybe it is.

 

[Kalv]

The ECHL should be a perfectly acceptable option for guys like Pitre and Myatovic. Get pro experience and some confidence at the same time. Right now these guys are just getting manhandled and overmatched every single game in the AHL. Not sure how destroying their confidence at 20 years-old is a good thing. But maybe it is.

So much this.

 

[TheDarkWingThatDucks]

I think pretty same way than GM Verbeek + it's better that guy's like Pitre and Myatovic plays against men/other youngsters than against teenagers.

Obviously I'm only one, who thinks that Myatovic is a good prospect and will in future be a better player than Pitre. Myatovic is still physically so immature (albeit a lot stronger now than in spring), but in my mind he is a defensively smart and responsible player, works hard, is not afraid to take hit and decent skater and passer. He can already use his long reach pretty well.

It will take 20 lbs muscle and c. 150 games (this season and next and maybye 30 games more) in the AHL until he is ready to chase NHL job. But if things go as I hope, 23 years old Myatovic will be a defensively oriented, heavy to play against, pass first, bearable good thirdliner or a honestly good fourth liner. He just turned 20 years a couple weeks ago!

Buddy is a T-birds fan he said Myatovic was super clutch glue guy in his line. Lots of game wining goals that helped them get to the memorial cup.

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

Roster might not be doing him any favors, but it really sucks that McIlvane appears to be way in over his head. A hire that I was actually encouraged about given he’d actually won things and his propensity for positivity (lord knows this organization needs more of it)